The Campbell River Booster Juice Bantam A Ravens played four lacrosse games last weekend to complete the regular season.
The Ravens kicked things off with a “home” game in Courtenay against Nanaimo Timbermen on June 14. The Ravens seemed lethargic and Nanaimo jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Mason Osterhout-Code grabbed the ball off a face-off, took it right through the heart of the defence, and found the bottom corner of the net to put Campbell River on the scoreboard.
Early in the second, Lukas Lund found Osterhout-Code cutting through the house, fed him the ball and again lit the red light.
Off the ensuing face-off, Liam Rivett got the ball and wired a wicked shot to tie the game 3-3.
Zach Lantayao gave the Ravens their first lead and then Matthew Leard scored to make it 5-3, but that was all the scoring the locals could muster. Nanaimo scored four answered goals and took the game 7-5.
Saturday was double-header against Juan de Fuca 2 (JDF2). In the opener, the Ravens fell behind 2-0 before Osterhout-Code got them on the board, assisted by Lontayao. Campbell River tied it up when Ross Rickman picked off a loose ball and capitalized on the breakaway.
Nolan Fair made a spin-spin move then let it rip to put the Ravens ahead at the end of the first, 3-2. Lund extended the lead in the second as he wired a shot into the top corner of the net.
From there on, it was all Ravens as they went on to a 9-3 victory with other goals coming from Rivett, Fair, Lund, Turko and Leard.
The second game of the was not as favourable as the first as JDF2 was in a must-win situation to make the playoffs.
The Victoria squad pulled out all the stops and replied with a 9-3 victory. Reilly Doney led Campbell River with two goals while Lontayao netted the third.
On Sunday, Juan de Fuca 1 (JDF1), one of the best teams in the province, came to Campbell River. They have beaten many Lower Mainland teams in tournaments and sent several players to the Team BC camp.
They showed the Ravens what a high-tempo motion offence can do as they worked tirelessly in the offensive zone to setup many high quality shots and scoring chances in a convincing 9-2 victory.
The Ravens are awaiting to find out their first round playoff opponent.